


Black Hill Blacklist

by littlesolo



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-03
Packaged: 2018-07-28 17:48:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7650589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlesolo/pseuds/littlesolo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Blacklist AU  Follows the Episodes</p><p>Barton captures the infamous Black Widow, but Natasha is only willing to talk to Deputy Director Maria Hill because she knows that while Barton may have physically brought her in, Maria is the brain behind her capture.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cell Block Meeting

For all the effort that she put into tracking the infamous Black Widow, Maria knew this had been too easy.  She however, has no idea, no matter how many times she’s asked, why it’s her that the Black Widow wants to speak to.  

Making her way to see her the woman in question, Maria spots the large containment cell that she’s currently being held in.  She evaluates the prisoner through the bullet proof glass.  Her red hair is shoulder length and looks like it hasn’t had a wash in a while.  All of her seems worn down, scuffed, and nearly broken.  Nearly.  Her green eyes are as sharp as ever and have this gleam to them.  Like she knows something they don’t and still has another card to play.  

“Deputy Director Maria Hill” says the red head with no trace of a Russian accent.  

“Yes.  You requested me personally.  Why?”  

“I have my reasons.  One of which is that you’re one of the more capable agents at SHIELD.  I propose a deal.”  

“A deal?  You came to us looking for a new chance at life.”  

“Yes, and to ensure that happens, I will give you information.  I’ve made all sorts of contacts and associates in my line of work.  So I give you names from time to time… incidents before they happen let’s say.”  

“Telling us what you know would prove your worth to us.”  

“And then what.  A bullet to the head?  No thank you.  No, this way makes sure you hold up your end of the deal.”  As she takes in the exhausted Russian, Maria goes over the options in her head.  They have no choice.


	2. Luxury Search

The first thing Phil has done is shoot a SHIELD tracker into Natasha's upper arm.  Maria rolls her eyes since they've all dug that tracker chip out of themselves one time or another during a mission.  After a day's rest, a shower, and change of clothes, Maria meets with the famed assassin again.  

"So, what do you have for us" asks Jasper Sitwell.  Natasha raises an eyebrow at him as Maria watches from the shadows.  Phil had told Fury that letting Romanoff call the shots was just giving her power over them.  Maria would agree except if there actually is a list, they need to play to get it.  Fury had agreed with Maria and appointed her as the agent in charge of Romanoff with Barton to be part of her protection deal.  Phil would be there too.  There have been worse assignments.  

"I don't think I could have been more clear, Agent Coulson.  I will only speak to Deputy Director Hill.  Oh and about my other conditions-" 

"You seem to be under the impression that you can call the shots here.  You are the one in a cell right now."  

"I'm also the only one that happens to know of an impending attack.  Chemical weapons attack."  Phil glares at their guest.  "I will give you this much.  The first name is Ranko Zamani."  

"He's dead" counters Sitwell.  

"Then his doopelganger just landed at BWI and you're going to be working double time just trying to clean up his mess" answers Natasha flippantly.  

It takes only minutes for them to verify this information.  

"Alright, we're listening" answers Sitwell.  

"Great.  So lets not waste time.  I'll give you Zamani, but first-"  

"Again, you are in no position to negotiate"  

"No" the steeliness in stops both Sitwell and Coulson.  "I will make this as clear as possible.  I will speak with no one but Maria Hill."  

* * *

For the record, at this point in time Maria is the newly appointed Deputy Director, even though many had thought the position would go to Phil Coulson.  What they know for sure about the Widow is that after leaving Red Room, she works as an assassin or facilitator with no country or political agenda.  At Fury's nod, she enters the containment area and Natasha's line of sight.  

"Ah, Agent Hill.  So nice to see you again" says Natasha as she sits on the single metal chair in her cell.  

"Tell me about Zamani."  It comes out more of an order than a request.  Maria tries to keep her voice even, having seen how the Widow dealt with the guys.  Natasha gives her a long look before leaning back in her seat.  

"Within the hour, there will be an attack.  It will scramble communications and everything else, as it was designed to.  The real attack will be taking place elsewhere.  You have a thirty six hour window if you're lucky."  

"How do you know this?"  

"There are individuals I keep tabs on to use and then there are those I keep tabs on to avoid.  Zamani falls under the latter."  

"And we're supposed to just trust you?"

"I'm a spy and assassin, which means by trade I am a good liar.  Everything about me is a lie.  Maybe even my name, who knows, it's what I've gone by for the longest.  But that's the thing about second chances and I think you can give me one.  I mean you know a bit about themselves don't you?  Your Dad and all that?"  

Maria nods and then goes back to where Fury, Sitwell, and Coulson are waiting.  

"How did she know that about me?" asks Maria, eyes on Fury.  

"She made a stab in the dark Hill, it's no big mystery.  Anyway, you're not buying this are you?  She's lying" says Sitwell to the group.  

"No she's establishing value."  

"Sir, I have followed Romanoff for the past five years-" starts Phil.  

"And yet Agent Hill was the one to find her" he counters.  Everyone turns toward Maria.  

"I think it's a real threat" says Maria.  

"Then go" announces Fury.  

* * *

According to intel there was in fact a chemical transport going under way for OsCorp.  Maria is in one of the vehicles escorting the transfer.  She feels like she should have seen it coming.  Well, they had been warned....

All of a sudden her car is rammed from the side.  There is glass and blood everywhere and the heavy scent of fumes.  Maria is shimmying herself free from her seat when she spots the first shooter.  She reacts instinctively and takes him out without thinking.  What's worrying her is the sound of liquid being spilled.  Crawling out the top Phil takes out one of the last remaining gunman on the bridge.  They both watch as the signal flare he'd held soars through the air and lands in the liquid.  It ignites and while Maria is far enough back that the blast simply throws her a bit, Phil has no choice but to dive off the side of the bridge.  At least they make it out alive.  

* * *

Maria approaches the large box like cell while Jasper and Coulson go over what happened.  

"How old were you when Peggy found you?" asks Natasha.  Maria is too tired to and aches in too many places to wonder how she knows this.  Aside from Sharon and Kevin, no one else does.  

"I was eleven."  

"I need your help with Zamani."  

"Sure, in exchange for a few things later.  Let me see what you have."  Only after Natasha has been cuffed does Maria lead her to the boards.  Natasha looks over every photo with a trained eye.  Phil is about to protest when she starts speaking.  "You keep thinking like agents.  The person you should be looking for is the Chemist."  

"The Chemist?  Really?  That's all you have?  There are half a dozen individuals who use that name" argues Sitwell.  

"Not that are any good.  Find the Chemist."  

"How?" asks Maria.  

"The Innkeeper might know."  

"The Innkeeper?" presses Jasper, but Maria has an idea.  

"And now about my demands.  A nice hotel room for starters..."

* * *

They'd found the Chemist but are still trying to find Zamani.  Maria stops by her apartment for a change of clothes.  That's all she needs, fresh clothes and maybe a minute to herself, and she can get through this day.  Entering, she notices Kevin's jacket tossed on the back of her sofa.  The slob.  Kevin is Sharon's younger brother as well as a SHIELD agent.  He tends to crash at Maria's or Sharon's after long missions.  He's like a little brother to her.  

"Kevin?  You here?  Kev-"  That's when she spots the blood.  Gun drawn she enters the dining room.  There is Kevin, bloodied to a pulp and strapped to a chair.  Behind him stands Zamani.  

"Ah, Ms. Hill.  We were waiting for you.  You see, somehow you found my Chemist.  You are... throwing a wrench in things.  Now why are you so special?"  Maria's mind is going at warp speed.  All she can do is coax Kevin to look at her but there is so much blood.  "TELL ME!" orders Zamani while thrusting a knife into Kevin's thigh.  Maria vaguely hears him make her an offer of some sort and then he's gone, right after he plunges the knife into Kevin's side.  Maria is there in an instant, applying pressure to the wound.  She rides with him to the hospital and stays by his bed until Sharon arrives.  

* * *

Natasha looks up from her book the door to her hotel room bursts open.  

"Was that you?"  

"Was what me?"  

"Zamani!  In my house!  Lying in wait for me!  What is it about me that has you fixated?  Kevin stopped by on a whim and now he's fighting for his life!"  At this point Maria has crossed the room and has one hand around Romanoff's throat.  I would be so easy to just squeeze....the other woman isn't even fighting.  She takes a deep breath and then let's go.  She might be wrong, but she's pretty sure Natasha has no idea what she's talking about.  So back to the matter at hand.  

"Where is Zamani headed?"  

* * *

By the end of the day, Zamani has been dealt with and the chemical weapons secured once again.  Maria collapses into a hospital chair next to Kevin's mom and they wait for news.  Fury has given her orders though.  

Tomorrow they start with the next name.  

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Freelancer

Maria stops by the medical wing on her way to work.  Kevin is recovering well and doesn't blame her.  Because it's all part of working for a secret organization, right? The threat of secret attackers and death at any moment.  Still, the guilt is killing her.  She can't linger though, they have a new name to follow.  

"Tell me, do you make up these titles yourself or do you all actually refer to each other this way in your little social circles?" asks Maria.  She'd let herself into the large luxury hotel suite and notes the bottle of wine and room service cart.  

"Much like how I'm the Black Widow, most are earned.  Some name themselves and others I just don't know they're real names.  Speaking of names, the next one is The Freelancer."  

"The Freelancer.  What does that mean?"  

"It means he, like me, is an assassin for hire."  

"So you're giving him to us to get rid of your competition."  

"Let's call it an added bonus, but no.  I'm telling you this because his next target is apparently a prominent activist of some sort.  I'm aware that's vague, especially with everyone always protesting something, but that's all I know at the moment."  Maria raises an eyebrow at that, but they have heard the name The Freelancer before.  

"What are you doing for dinner?"  

"What why?"  

"Because I figure we can share a meal and get to know each other while we wait for one of my contacts to let me know the target.  Wear something nice."  

* * *

This is ridiculous, not to mention a little surreal.  Maria is currently dressed to the nines and sitting in a five star restaurant across from the Black Widow.  Clint and Phil are off crammed in a surveillance vehicle around the corner.  It's not the first time she's been under cover, but she feels like she's flying blind.  She eyes everyone, from the maitre'd to the bus boys.  Hell, they could get word from a note slipped under a plate from a cook in the back.  Then there's the fact while the food looks delicious, she's hesitant to eat anything.  They had both watched the wine be uncorked, but Maria only sipped from her glass after Natasha did first.  

"So how is Kevin?" asks Natasha as she takes a bite of her swordfish.  

"You don't get to ask about that, ask after him, I can't shake the feeling that you had something to do with why that man was in my apartment.  That's my private life.  This?  Here?  This is my job, my work.  I keep them separate."  Natasha gives her a look.  

"You all work together.  How's that separate?"  But Maria has no desire to discuss it further so after two hours of polite conversation (at least from Natasha's side) they get the check and leave.  

"Well that was a waste of time" grumbles Phil.  

"Actually they left word in my coat.  Or should I say picture" announces Natasha holding up a newspaper clipping.  The photo is of Floriana Campo, a prominent anti human trafficking activist.  The smug smile on Natasha's face?  It's driving Phil up a wall.  

* * *

Maria hates that Natasha is right.  She and Sharon are assigned to Floriana Campo's protection detail while Clint looks after the Widow.  None of them could have expected what happened next.  On the plus side Lance Hunter tackles The Freelancer, but on the down side Floriana has already been poisoned.  Maria, Sharon, and Clint catch up to Natasha who is watching a desperate Floriana plead for her life.  

"I offered you an in, a cut!" she pleads, gasping for breath as Phil calls for a medic.  

"You trade people, you disgust me.  I used to wonder what happened to the girls who didn't meet Red Room standards.  It seems all paths lead back to you."  Moments later, the human trafficker is dead.  

Maria knows that bringing down a human trafficking ring is big and good, but for some reason it still doesn't feel quite like a win.  She sleeps on the Helicarrier that night, too tired to make it home and deal with the still blood stained carpet.  

 

 


	4. New Names

Over the next few weeks they deal with a handful of names, each more challenging than the last.  It's interesting because Maria feels almost like she's learning the more she spends with the former spy.  The military and SHIELD had taught her to think a different way and now everything feels a bit off as she begins to see things from Natasha's point of view.  Natasha and Clint become friends over stories about his son.  Things are almost friendly.  All except for the occasional cautioning and warnings she gets from Phil and Sitwell about getting too close.  As far as Maria is concerned, Natasha is an asset.  

One would like to think that we've come past witch burning and that sort of thing, but sometimes that's exactly the sort of thing that happens when someone gifted is discovered.  On the other hand, Maria feels like they spend so much time chasing zebras, that they forget sometimes things are just horses.  It's fair to say though that the horses they've been chasing after are unique.  

Name after name, they are drawn deeper into the depths of violence for hire.  Some aren't even SHIELD related but no one else would have caught them otherwise.  The Undertaker, The Alchemist, The Courier, there is no doubt that these individuals are evil.  Maria almost falls prey to one of them herself.  

It had been an accident.  Or it least that's how Jasper will play it later.  He'd left Maria with a small two person detail to escort the prisoner.  Instead the copter they were going to board is blown up and Maria is taken.  

That's when Natasha goes off book.  Due to her cooperation, they allow Natasha to roam freely now and no one really gives it any thought since she always turned up in a hotel room, but now she's gone.  She's taken Clint with her though.  They follow the Stew Maker's dog.  Natasha remembers the dog.  It used to be just him, the small local dentist with a gruesome side line, but Natasha had escaped.  She had been sent to him once, when Red Room found her defective.  When she finally started to break free from their hold.  He was supposed to dispose of her.  Instead she'd escaped and kicked a jar of his precious acid at him.  It had hit his side.  She still remembers the smell as it burned his skin.  This is the man that has Maria now.  

They track the dog by it's chip and Natasha is out of the car before Clint can even grab his bow.  They rescue Maria and once again, Natasha pushes him into a tub of his own acid.  Aside from the splash and faint sound of bubbles, it's almost silent but that doesn't make it any less horrifying to hear as Clint helps her limp back to the car.  It's hard to call that day a win.  


	5. Cyprus Agency

The ledger, Natasha's mental ledger was only mentioned once after a long day.  They'd been drinking, Maria and Clint and Natasha had decided to join them.  It's mentioned in passing probably because they're all so exhausted and hoping to get so drunk that they won't remember it later.  She's not on a quest for redemption, Natasha believes she's beyond anything like that.  She does, however, believe she can help make the world a little less bloody and violent with her skill set and knowledge.  Maria doesn't fully understand what she means when they deal with the Cyprus Agency.  

A woman is reported wandering the streets and later found dead.  That's how it would have started.  Except the woman is also a contact of Phil's from once upon a time.  Phil is eager to follow the trail of his long missing informant but they focus on the agency instead, only to find out the two are connected.  

Cyprus Agency is an adoption agency is an adoption agency that caters to wealthy parents looking for that blue eyed baby.  Genetics for the perfect athlete?  Done.  Which is bad enough in itself.  Now, in an age of miracles, people want kids with abilities too.  Maria doesn't even want to think about the experiments done to those children and how many didn't survive.  

They manage to come up with one lead.  A go between for the agency.  Maria saw him first on the sidewalk and he bolts but when he sees Phil coming around the corner he tries to make it across the street only to be hit by a bus.  

The autopsy of the dead woman presents all sorts of new horrors as the scientists explain how the mothers are kept alive and cared for through medically induced coma.  When they raid the facility they find a small breeding farm.  

Maria watches the tension leave Natasha's shoulders when she gives her the news that it's been dismantled.  She can't help the lingering thought of maybe this is how Red Room gets their girls now.  She also can't bring herself to ask.  


	6. Anslo Garrick

Clint doesn't share the concerns of Phil and Jasper.  If the Black Widow is really an ally then why not be friends with her.  Now, Clint, he likes most people and lately he's been chatting with Natasha about what to name his upcoming baby girl.  Maria is getting close too.  It's nice to watch the two become friends.  She's still a bit overly cautious, but they share meals and books every so often.  Natasha recommends the book and then Maria tends to read them while they fly while Natasha watches her expressions.  From what he can tell, Natasha likes them too.  Just how much becomes clear when a team comes and tries to take the Widow.  

To be fair, they were at a black site, not their usual SHIELD facility and it was a top notch team.  They also happened to be a bit jet lagged from their trip back from Syria. 

There are those who keep tabs on Natasha to avoid her but then there are those that are worried what she might say, former employers and associates.  

Communications are scrambled first and during the shoot out Phil is shot in the leg.  Natasha drags him with her to her cell and seals them in.  She does what she can to fix Phil's leg.  Jasper is off site and is the only member besides Phil who knows the code to open the cell.  Anslo Garrick is a good one, and someone people usually hire when they can't get Natasha.  Garrick kills two agents before the gun is leveled at Clint's head.  But that's when the alarms start to blare.  

Maria.  It had to be.  She takes out three of the attackers before being found.  The the gun is at her head, but they only have to hold out until the Cavalry arrives literally with back up.  It comes down to Natasha applying pressure to Phil's wound to wake him up and give them the code.  That's when everything goes black.  The lights go out, yes, but then Maria is knocked unconscious and Clint follows moments later.  

They wake up to an argument between Sitwell and Natasha about a possible mole.  There is blood everywhere and although it was done in their defense and probably saved their lives, all the blood is unsettling.  

Years later, when HYDRA re emerges, it becomes clear that Jasper had been the mole and had been trying to take out a key SHIELD asset.  


End file.
